Cartridge



Jan; P. VON FRANTZIUS 2,068,159

' CARTRIDGE Filed Dec. 18, 1931 Patented Jan. 19, 1937 UNITED STATESPATENT OFFICE CARTRIDGE Application December 18, 1931, Serial No.581,831

4 Claims. (Cl. 102-12) The present invention relates generally tocartridges for use in revolvers, rifles, shotguns, pistols of thefountain pen and police club type and other portable firearms. Moreparticularly, the invention relates to that type of cartridge which isdesigned to disperse an irritant, such as tear gas, and comprises (1) acasing which is open at one end thereof and has a cross wall with aprimer at its other end; (2) a charge of powder which is disposed in thecasing in direct contact with the primer and serves as a propellant; and(3) a gas producing chemical which is confined in the casing by awad orsimilar sealing device in the open end of the casing and is adapted tobe gasified and dispersed by the heat and pressure that are produced bythe powder in response to firing of the cartridge.

Heretofore, it has been customary in the manufacture of cartridges ofthis character, to use chloracetophenone or a similar halogen derivativeof acetophenone as the gas-producing chemical, and to mix such chemicalwith the charge of powder or to position it in front of the powder andseparate it therefrom by means f of a wad. In practice it has been foundthat in instances wherein thegas-producing chemical is mixed with thecharge of powder, the powder deteriorates rapidly and often becomesuseless because of themoisture in the chemical.

- It has also been found in such instances that the chemical issometimes partially burned during firing of the cartridge with theresult that there is not complete gasification within the cartridge, andthat the casing corrodes by virtue of the fact that the gas-producingchemical is in direct contact therewith. In instances wherein thegas-producing chemical is separated from the charge of powder by a wad,thechemical is not completely gasified within the cartridge duringfiring of the powder and as a result, particles of the chemicalsometimes melt and cling to the walls of the cartridge casing and thebore of the firearm with which the cartridge is used. H

"The primary object of the invention is to provide a cartridge of thetype under consideration which is an improvement upon previously de--signed cartridges of the same general character by virtue of the factthat the gas-producing chemical is retained within a combustiblemoisture-proof container which is positioned between the charge ofpowder and the wad at the open end of the casing, serves to preventcorrosion of the casing and deterioration of the powder by the chemicaland operates to effect an emcient and complete gasification of thechemical within the cartridge by virtue of the fact that it burns uponfiring of the cartridge.

Another object of the invention is to provide 5 a gas cartridge which isgenerally of new and improved construction and may be manufacturedreadily and at a low cost.

Other objects of the invention and the various advantages andcharacteristics of the 10 present cartridge construction will beapparent from a consideration of the following detailed description.

The invention consists in the several novel features which arehereinafter set forth and 15 are more particularly defined by claims atthe conclusion hereof.

In the drawing which accompanies and forms a part of this specificationor disclosure and in which like numerals of reference denotecorresponding parts throughout the several views:

Figure 1 is a longitudinal section of a cartridge embodying theinvention;

Figure 2 is a perspective of the combustible moisture-proof containerfor the gas-producing chemical;

Figure 3 is a longitudinal section of the body of the container: and

Figure 4 is a section of the cap which serves as a closure for the bodyof the container and is hermetically sealed to the latter.

The cartridge which forms the subject matter of -the invention isadapted for use in connection with a portable firearm and comprises ametallic casing 5. The latter is cylindrical in conformation and is openat one end thereof. The other end of the casing is closed by means of across wall 6 which has a primer 1 in the central portion thereof. Thisprimer contains a fulminating powder and is adapted to explode whenstruck by the firing pin of the firearm with which the cartridge isused.

In addition to the casing 5, the cartridge comprises a gas-producingchemical 8 and a charge 9 of powder, such, for example, as gun cotton,celluloid granules, flashlight powder or black or smokeless powder. Thecharge of powder is disposed in the end of the casing which embodies thecross wall 6. It surrounds and is in direct contact with the primer I sothat it is ignited when the primer is fired and serves as a propellantfor dispersing the gas-producing chemical 8.

The gas-producing chemicals 8 is preferably chloracetophenone or anyother halogen derivative of acetophenone, and is adapted to be gasifledin the casing 5 by the heat and pressure that are produced by the chargeof powder when the cartridge is fired. A container l0 retains thegas-producing chemical 8 so that it is separated from the charge 9 ofpowder. This container fits between the-charge of powder and a wad il inthe open end of the casing 5, is formed of celluloid or like combustiblematerial and consists of a body I! and a'cap 13. By forming thecontainer of celluloid or like material, burning of the container takesplace when the cartridge is fired, with the result that the gasproducingchemical 8 is heated and completely gasifled within the cartridge.container is moisture-proof and hence it is possible, in order toincrease the strength and power of the chemical, to slightly moisten thechemical without the possibility of evaporation. The body IZ'of thecontainer is cylindrical in conformation and is closed at one end by acircular cross wall M. It is substantially equal in diameter.to theinternal diameter of the easing 5 and is of such length that it extendsfrom the wad II to the charge 9 of powder. The cross wall I4 ispositioned adjacent the charge of powder and forms a partition wherebythe powder charge is protected from deterioration by the moisture in,and the acidity of, the chemical 8. The body I 2 forms a liner for thecasing 5 and protects the inner periphery of the casing againstcorrosion. The cross wall I4 is preferably formed integrally with thebody l2. The body and the cross wall are preferably aboutflve-thousandths of an inch in thickness so that they are suflicientlythin to burn immediately upon firing of the cartridge and effectgasification of the chemical 8 within the casing 5.

The cap I3 is circular and serves as a closure for the open end ofthe'body of the container. It embodies an integral annular flange i5which fits within and is cemented or otherwise secured to the body l2 sothat the container is sealed hermetically. The wad ll abuts against thecap l3 and is held in place by an annular bead IS. The latter is formedby crimping or deflecting inwardly the open end of the casing 5 andserves to hold or look the container ID in the casing of the cartridgeso that it is not discharged upon firing of the charge of powder butstays within the casing and burns.

In the manufacture of the cartridge, the container I0 is first preparedby filling the body l2 with the gas-producing chemical 8. After 1111-ing of the body l2, the cap I3 is applied by inserting the flange l5into the open end of the body l2 and then applying a cement or adhesiveto the joint so as to seal the container hermetically. Upon completionof the container filling and capping or sealing operations, the charge 9of powder is introduced into the casing 5. Thereafter, the container I0is inserted through the open end of the casing and forced into directAfter this step,

contact with the powder charge. the wad II is positioned against the capof the container and is secured in place by crimping or deflectinginwardly the end of the casing 5 so as to form the annular bead l6.

Whenthe cartridge is fired, the fulminating powder within the primer Iis exploded and ignites the charge 9 of powder. as it is ignited,operates as a propellant for the gas-producing chemical Band in responseto the pressure and heat that are produced thereby, gasifies thechemical; Gasification of the chemical within the cartridge is augmentedby virtue In addition, the

The latter, as soon of the fact that the celluloid container ID for thegas-producing chemical ignites and burns upon discharge of the charge ofpowder. By virtue of the fact that all portions of the container burn,there is no likelihood of any part of the chemical 8 remaining in thecasing of the cartridge or in the bore of the firearm in which thecartridge is fired.

The herein described cartridge may be manufactured at a low andreasonable cost inasmuch as it consists of but a small number of parts.It is not subject to deterioration or corrosion for the reason that thecontainer Ill is moistureproof and acid-proof and protects the charge 9of powder and the casing 5. In view of the fact that the container iscombustible, gasification of the chemical 8 is expedited and the maximumpower of the chemical is obtained. A further advantage of utilizing thecontainer I0 resides in the fact that it is possible to retain a smallamount of moisture with the chemical 8, and a maximum quantity ofgas-producing chemical may be used inasmuch as no wad is and the chargewithout departing from the spirit and scope of the invention.

Having thus described the invention, what I claim as new and desire tosecure by Letters Patent, is:

1. A cartridge of the character described, comprising in combination-a.casing provided at one end thereof with firing means and having itsother end open and stop-means adjacent said open end, a charge of powderdisposed in the said one end of the casing in proximity to the firingmeans, a container of combustible material and with closed ends,confined in the said other end of the casing between the charge ofpowder and the stop-means and adapted to be held in place by saidstop-means and, to burn within the casing in' response to burning of thepowder by firing of the cartridge, and a gasproducing chemical in thecontainer adapted to be gasified by the combined burning of thecontainer and powder and to be dispersed in gasified form from thecasing by the pressure produced by the burning of the powder, the sidewall of the container and the end adjacent the powder being of suchthinness that they burn quickly and substantially simultaneously withthe burning of the powder in order to eflect quick gasification of thechemical within the casing.

2. A cartridge of the character described, comprising in combination acasing provided at one end thereof with firing means and having itsother end open, a continuous inrolled bead around said open end and acharge of powder disposed in the-said one end of the casing in proximityto the firing means, an elongated, hermetically sealed container ofcombustible, acid and moisture-proof material and with closed ends,confined in the said other end of the casing between the charge ofpowder and the bead and adapted to be held in place by said bead and toburn within the casing in response to burning of the powder by firing ofthe cartridge,

and a gas-producing chemical in the container adapted to be gasified bythe combined burning of the container and powder and to be dispersed ingasified form from the casing by the pressure produced by the burning ofthe powder, the side wall of the container and the end adjacent thepowder being of such thinness that they burn quickly and substantiallysimultaneously with the burning of the powder in order to effect quickgasification of the chemical within the casing.

3. A cartridge of the character described, comprising in combination acasing provided at one end thereof with firing means and having itsother end open and provided with a wad and an inturned bead for holdingthe wad in place, aficharge of powder disposed in the'said one end ofthe casing in proximity to thefiring means, an elongated, hermeticallysealed container of celluloid and with closed ends confined in the saidother end of the casing between the charge of powder and the wad andadapted to be held in place by the bead and to burn within the casing inresponse to burning of the powder by firing of the cartridge, and agas-producing chemical in the container adapted to be gasifled by thecombined burning of the container and powder and to be dispersed ingasified -form from the casing by the pressure produced by the burningof the powder, the side wall of the container and the end adjacent thepowder being of such thinness that they burn quickly and substantiallysimultaneously with the burn ing of the powder in order to efiect quickgasiflcation of the chemical within the casing.

4. In a tear gas cartridge, having a. primed shell, a propellant andheat generating filling for the inner end portion of said shell, and asubstantially complete filling for the entire outer end portion ofsaid'shelljco'nsisting of "a 'tear gas chemical and an envelope entirelysurrounding said chemical and composed of such readily combustiblematerial of such extreme thinness throughout that it will be immediatelyconsumed 20 as an entirety at the moment of the explosionof the shell inthe gun.

PETER von FRANTZIUS.

